Alexander's Feast
Live from the Royal Albert Hall , London.
Alexander's Feast was Handel's first major success in the genre of English oratorio and it so captivated Mozart that he made his own German version of the work. Based on The
Power of Music, an ode for the feast of St Cecilia by Dryden, its ravishing, operatic-style arias, exuberant choruses and rich orchestral writing make a fitting tribute to the patron saint of music. Presented by Aled Jones.
Sally Matthews (soprano), Paul Agnew (tenor),
Roderick Williams (baritone), the English Concert, Choir of the English Concert, conductor Andrew Manze
Handel, arr Mozart Alexander 's Feast, Part 1
8.00: Twenty Minutes: Gottfried van Swieten - Midwife to Music
Graeme Kay looks at the career of Gottfried van Swieten, who did more than anybody to open 18th-century ears to the music of the past.
8.20: Handel, arr Mozart Alexander 's Feast, Part 2